Omakere
Town
Coordinates40.050849°S 176.754430°E
Area total448.82 km²
Population total561
Population as of2023 Census
CountryNew Zealand
RegionHawke's Bay
Territorial authorityCentral Hawke's Bay District
WardAramoana-Ruahine
Electorates
Territorial AuthorityCentral Hawke's Bay District Council
Regional councilHawke's Bay Regional Council

Omakere (Māori: Ōmakere) is a farming locality in the Central Hawke's Bay District and Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island.[1] It is located east of Waipawa.[2]

Ōmakere translates as place (Ō) someone was lost or died (makere).[3]

The Omakere Church includes a stained glass memorial wall, depicting Jesus Christ's crucifixion, in memory of three local men who died in war.[4]

The Omakere and neighbouring Elsthorpe rugby union teams were featured in a New Zealand television advertisement for coverage of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Demographics

Omakere locality covers 448.82 km2 (173.29 sq mi).[5] The locality is part of the Mangarara statistical area.[6]

Historical population for Omakere locality
YearPop.±%
2006552—
2013468−15.2%
2018543+16.0%
2023561+3.3%

The 2006 population is for a larger area of 464.71 km2.

Omakere had a population of 561 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 18 people (3.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 93 people (19.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 282 males and 273 females in 225 dwellings.[7] 2.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 114 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 87 (15.5%) aged 15 to 29, 255 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 105 (18.7%) aged 65 or older.[8]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.3% European (Pākehā), 18.7% Māori, 1.6% Pasifika, 1.6% Asian, and 7.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 99.5%, Māori by 1.6%, and other languages by 2.7%. No language could be spoken by 0.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[8]

Religious affiliations were 33.7% Christian, 1.6% Māori religious beliefs, and 0.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.1%, and 8.0% of people did not answer the census question.[8]

Of those at least 15 years old, 105 (23.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 264 (59.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 84 (18.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 45 people (10.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 252 (56.4%) full-time, 75 (16.8%) part-time, and 6 (1.3%) unemployed.[8]

Mangarara statistical area

Mangarara statistical area, which also includes Ōtāne, covers 838.07 km2 (323.58 sq mi)[9] and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of /838.07 people per km2.

Historical population for Mangarara
YearPop.±%
20062,001—
20132,076+3.7%
20182,400+15.6%
20232,802+16.8%

[10][11]

Mangarara statistical area had a population of 2,802 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 402 people (16.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 726 people (35.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,371 males, 1,428 females, and 6 people of other genders in 1,065 dwellings.[12] 1.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 582 people (20.8%) aged under 15 years, 339 (12.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,335 (47.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 549 (19.6%) aged 65 or older.[10]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.8% European (Pākehā); 21.9% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.2%, Māori by 4.5%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 4.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.[10]

Religious affiliations were 33.1% Christian, 0.1% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 1.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% New Age, and 0.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.7%, and 8.2% of people did not answer the census question.[10]

Of those at least 15 years old, 441 (19.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,284 (57.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 495 (22.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 204 people (9.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,203 (54.2%) full-time, 318 (14.3%) part-time, and 36 (1.6%) unemployed.[10]

Education

Omakere School is a Year 1-8 co-educational state primary school.[13] It is a decile 8 school with a roll of as of [14] The school opened in 1912.[15]

References

  1. ^ Pollock, Kerryn (30 November 2015). "Hawke’s Bay places – Southern coast". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage
  2. ^ Hariss, Gavin. "Omakere, Hawke's Bay". topomap.co.nz. NZ Topo Map.
  3. ^ "Omakere". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage
  4. ^ Phillips, Jock (1986). "Omakere church window war memorial". nzhistory.govt.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage
  5. ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  7. ^ [https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_009&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.7016725%2B7016727%2B7016729%2B7033926.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003 "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses"]. Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  8. ^ [https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_012&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.7016725%2B7016727%2B7016729%2B7033926.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses"]. Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7016725, 7016727, 7016729 and 7033926. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  10. ^ [https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.215900.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses"]. Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Mangarara (215900). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^
  12. ^ [https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.215900.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003 "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses"]. Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education
  14. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office
  15. ^ "The History of Omakere School". Omakere School. Retrieved 2 March 2023.